The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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Dear list One of the most unpleasant aspects of the US at war is their lack of respect for the adversary. With this in mind, I have just sent the following letter to my MP, (Roger Williams, Lib Dem, who generally supported the anti-war position). I would particularly draw attention to the last sentence. Yours Peter Dear Roger As you probably know, Article 17 of the 1949 First Geneva Convention, 'for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field' states: 'Parties to the conflict shall ensure that burial or cremation of the dead, carried out individually as far as circumstances permit, is preceded by a careful examination, if possible by a medical examination, of the bodies, with a view to confirming death, establishing identity and enabling a report to be made. One half of the double identity disc, or the identity disc itself if it is a single disc, should remain on the body. [.....] 'They shall further ensure that the dead are honourably interred, if possible according to the rites of the religion to which they belonged, that their graves are respected, grouped if possible according to the nationality of the deceased, properly maintained and marked so that they may always be found. For this purpose, they shall organize at the commencement of hostilities an Official Graves Registration Service, to allow subsequent exhumations and to ensure the identification of bodies, whatever the site of the graves, and the possible transportation to the home country. These provisions shall likewise apply to the ashes, which shall be kept by the Graves Registration Service until proper disposal thereof in accordance with the wishes of the home country. 'As soon as circumstances permit, and at latest at the end of hostilities, these Services shall exchange, through the Information Bureau mentioned in the second paragraph of Article 16, lists showing the exact location and markings of the graves, together with particulars of the dead interred therein.' I would be very grateful if you could obtain assurances from the government that this convention is being observed with respect to the war dead from the present conflict in Iraq. Apart from the necessary respect for the dead, this should enable a fairly precise accounting to be made of military casualties from the war. Also if you could find out where the sites are of the graves 'grouped ... according to the nationality of the deceased, properly maintained and marked so that they may always be found' of enemy combatants who fell in Afghanistan and in Kuwait (in 1991). Yours sincerely, Peter Brooke _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk